Coaster



(No Model.) 2 lSheets-Sheet 1.

P. BOYTQN.

UOASTER,

No. 535,958. Patented M51. 19, 1595.

fail/96H No Model.) r 2 sheets-Sheen 2.

P. BOYTON- GOASTER.

No. 535,938. Patented Mam. 19, 1895.

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l. fr n NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL BOYTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.`

COASTER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,938, dated March 19, 1,895.

Application tiled January 25, 1895. Serial No. 536,185. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, PAUL BOYTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coasters, of which the following is a specication.

My inventionrelates to the class of coasters wherein an inclined plane provided with tracks is erected adjacentto a body of water and terminates at its lower end at or just below the surface thereof, and in which boatshaped toboggans are caused to descend the inclined plane and continue under the impetus acquired along the surface of the water, the boats being so constructed as to deflect the water from their sides to prevent it from splashing the occupants. The pastime afforded by coasters of this character has become a very popular one of late, and is known as shooting the chutes.

As features of the construction of the coaster it is necessary to make provision for conveying pleasure seekers to the elevated platform from which the descent lisinade, and also for returning the boat-shaped toboggans to the same point. Heretofore the practice has been to draw the boats up the inclined plane by means of a cable or chain, and to draw the pleasure seekers up the inclined plane in specially constructed 4cars also connected to a cable.

My present improvements relate to means for returning the boatshaped toboggans to the starting-platform by elevating them at the terminus of their course over the water to a suflicient altitude and then causing them to pass overhead along one or more cables to the starting-platform; and my invention consists in the generaland specific mechanism by which this is effected.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire structure; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the tower and boatelevating machinery; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail view showing a gripping carrier for the boats mounted upon the overhead cable, and Fig. 4 an end elevation of the same.

Ais the starting-platform and B the inclined plane both mounted upon suitable trestle work C, and D is a body of water, natural or artificial, at which the inclined plane terminates. No further description of these features is deemed necessary since they are in substantial` accordance with Letters Patent of the United-States, No. 411,255, granted to John P. Newburg on the 17th day of September, 1889.

E is a tower erected at the terminus of the course of the boats over the water and of such height as to extend above the level of the starting-platform, and F is a cable connecting the top of the tower with the starting platform.

G G are elevator belts, two at each side, mounted upon sheaves H and H on shafts o at the top and bottom of the tower, and I is an engine operating, as by means of the belts indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, to revolve the sheaves H in unison.

K K are the boat-shaped toboggans.

Each elevator-belt Gis provided on its face with a series of hooks uand the upper edge of each boat-shaped toboggan is in the form of a hook-shaped flange t to engage th'e hooks u. Each boat, moreover, is provided at its bow and stern with roller-tackle L, L for connecting it with the cable, and the tackle L is provided with a grip M to serve as a brake. This is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Each roller s, s and s2 of the tackle and brake is a grooved roller in order that it may maintain its place upon the cable F, and the grippingroller s2 is mounted eccentrically upon its shaft r so that by moving the handle q the cable may be gripped or released as desired to control themovement of the boat. A common bearing N servesfor the tackle roller and the gripping device. serves as a pulley for the rope p which is provided with a ring o and branches n connecting it with the sides of the boat to preserve the balance. The purpose of the pulley is to permit the attendant to raise and lower the boat with reference to the overhead cable.

The operation is as follows: A boat K with its occupants having shot from the starting platform down the incline, passes along the surface of the water and is guided by its attendant into the space between the elevatorbelts in the tower and this causes the hookshaped flanges t of the boat to overhang the hooks u, upon the elevator-belts. At this time the movement of the belts has been stopped, either by stopping the machinery or releasing The lowest roller s3 IOO a suitable clutch, and this occurs, of course, as often as a boat is to be connected; a-nd any of the occupants who do not desire to pass with the boat back to the starting-platform, may be landed, and others desiring to do so may take their places. Thereupon the elevator belts are started, when the hooks u engage the flanges tof the boatand raise it. When the boat has nearly reached the top the movement of the belts is stopped and the attendant places the supporting tackle L, L upon the cable F. Thereupon by means of theropes p, pulleys si and rings o, one of which is provided at each end of the boat, he raises the latter clear of the hooks aand secures it there, and then,by a movement of the handle q, releases the gripping brak-e and allows the boat to proceed on its descent to the startinge'platform. Here the tackle is released and the boat is in condition for afresh journey. For those not desiring to reach the starting-platform by the coursejust described, other means are provided. The drawings show elevators O for this purpose, but instead of these the usual cars drawn up the inclined plane by a cable may be employed.

The drawings show a single cable F-,but if desired two cables maybe provided, thu-s giving greater safety to the moving boat. Obviously, the only change that this would involve would be the duplication of certain portions of the supporting-tackle. It will be found de sirable to cause the elevator belts to stop and start periodically at intervals which will permit several boats if desired to be in course of elevation at the same time; and it is desirable to have the starting always take place at a` signal from the attendant of the boat which is at the top of the tower in order that it may not occur before he has his tackle fully ad'- justed. My invention, however, contemplates the use of any suitable apparatus for lifting the Boa-ts ndconeetg thein to a single or double cable for the purpose described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with a coaster and with a body of water adjacent to the lower end of the inclined plane thereof, and boat-shaped toboggans adapted to slide down the said plane and float upon the surface of the water, a tower at the terminus of the course of the boats extending above the level of the starting-platform of the, coaster, an elevator for conveying the boats to the top of the tower, a cable connecting the top of the tower with the starting-platform of the coaster and roller tackle for connecting a boat with the cable whereby it may pass by gravity from the top of the tower to the starting-platform, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a coaster comprising a starting-platform A, inclined plane B, boatshaped toboggans K and body of water D adjacent to the lower end of 'the inclined plane, means for returning the boat-shaped toboggans to the starting-platform consisting 0f the tower E ext-ending above the level of the platform, an elevating device in the tower, engaging means for detachably connecting each boat with the elevating device, an inclined cable extending from the top of the tower to the starting-platform, roller-tackle for supporting the boat upon the cable and permitting it to pass by gravity to the starting platform' and brake-mechanism upon the tackle for regulating the speed, substantially asdescribed.

PAUL BOYTON.

In presence of- H. V. SEYMOUR, J. N. HANsoN. 

